Who is Cornelius Radford? Fort Stewart Shooting Suspect Identified After Five Soldiers Injured in Georgia Base Attack

A U.S. Army sergeant has been identified as the suspect behind a shocking mass shooting at Fort Stewart, Georgia, that left five fellow soldiers injured on Wednesday. The shooter, now in custody, has been named as Quornelius Radford, a 28-year-old Army supply sergeant stationed at the base.

What Happened at Fort Stewart?

At approximately 10:56 a.m. local time, reports of gunfire emerged from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area of the Fort Stewart military installation. The base was placed under immediate lockdown, and by 11:35 a.m., Radford had been subdued by fellow soldiers and taken into custody.

Five soldiers were shot, three of whom required surgery. All victims are expected to recover. Emergency medical teams initially treated the wounded on-site before transferring them to Winn Army Community Hospital. Two were later moved to Memorial Hospital in Savannah for further care.

Who Is Quornelius Radford?

Radford, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, joined the Army in 2018 and was serving as a supply and warehouse operations specialist. According to Fort Stewart officials, he had never been deployed to a combat zone.

Brigadier General John Lubas, commanding officer of the 3rd Infantry Division, confirmed that the weapon used was not a military-issued firearm but rather a privately-owned 9mm handgun, legally purchased in Florida in May 2025.

Radford is currently in pretrial confinement, awaiting formal charges by the Office of the Special Trial Counsel.

Possible Motive?

Although a full motive has not been confirmed, authorities revealed that Radford had a disagreement with one of the victims the day before the shooting. On the day of the attack, he reportedly followed this individual to a maintenance area before opening fire, hitting them in the chest and then targeting four others.

Despite the severity of the incident, Radford did not have any behavioral red flags in his military records. However, it was revealed that he had been arrested for DUI in May, a detail his military chain of command was unaware of.

His father, Eddie Radford, 52, told The New York Times that his son had expressed frustration over alleged racism at Fort Stewart and had been trying to transfer. “It’s hard for me to process,” he added.

About Fort Stewart

Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield is one of the largest U.S. Army installations on the East Coast, located near Hinesville, roughly 40 miles southwest of Savannah, Georgia. It houses over 21,000 active-duty soldiers and several thousand civilian personnel.

Tragically, this is not the first time the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team has faced casualties in 2025. Earlier this year, two soldiers died in a vehicle rollover during training, and four others died in Lithuania when their recovery vehicle sank into a bog.

National Context: Another Mass Shooting in the U.S.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, this incident marks the 262nd mass shooting in the U.S. in 2025. The nonprofit defines a mass shooting as any incident where four or more people are shot, not including the perpetrator. Though high, this number reflects a slight decline compared to the same period in previous years:

• 689 mass shootings in 2021

• 644 in 2022

• 659 in 2023

• 503 in 2024

What Happens Next?

The investigation continues into Radford’s motive, and Fort Stewart officials are working to provide support to the victims and the wider military community. Authorities have stressed the importance of mental health and communication within military ranks following this tragedy.

Stay tuned for further updates as more details emerge.